Lincoln Elementary School

Karen Wiggins
ECE497: Child Development
Capstone Course
Instructor: Bullock
August 13, 2014
Elementary School Child Development
ages 8-11

Physical
Growth spurts in boys and girls
Puberty is beginning
Cognitive
The use of imagination
Logical thinking
Interest in learning life skills (cooking, fixing things)
Social
Friendships become more important
Need love, affection, and acceptance

Results from an Responsive early childhood program article, supports the positive
impacts of responsive teachers and environment supporting a childs social and emotional
development (Landry, S. H., Zucker, T. A., Taylor, H. B., Swank, P. R., Williams, J. M., Assel, M.,
& ... Klein, A., 2014).


The Role of a Professional



To become second mothers to their students
Pass their enthusiasm to their students
Show love and respect

Be influential

Take interest
Learn about their students on a personal level
Be a role model
Provide an inviting environment
Rationale
Child development is about changes made throughout a lifespan. Its
about the understanding of consistency and changes that a child goes
through (Berk, L. E., 2013).
According to Erik Erikson, self is developed through what he calls the
stage theory of ego development. He believed, that identity is not
formed overnight, but its through a process of a lifelong task which
passes through a critical phase during adolescence and young adulthood
(Berk, L. E., 2013).
Bronfenbrenners theory on Mesosystem
addresses the elements of social and the
environment being the cause for many behaviors
in society (Berk, L. E., 2013 .
How Epsteins Involvement Influence Child
Learning and Development
Epsteins Involvement goal is to make a learning
process a group effort. It aids in the learning process by
helping educators develop a more comprehensive
programs for children and their families. Each one of
Epsteins involvements have their own unique practices
of partnership. Epsteins Involvement influences
educators, children, and childrens parents to work
together to enhance a healthy development (Griffin, D.,
& Steen, S., 2010).
Epsteins 6 Types of Involvement
Parenting
Epsteins parenting involvement helps with the
assisting of families with parenting and child-
rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent
development, and setting home conditions that
support children as students at each age and
grade level. And it assist schools in
understanding families. Parenting aligns with
home environment supporting children as
students (Epstein, J. L. (np).
Communication
Communication is an important role of how a child relates
with others.
In Epsteins role of communication it involves effective
communication with the child/parents relationship, the
child/teacher relationship and parent/teacher relationship.
Epsteins Involvement aids in keeping families abreast on
different programs, the progress of their children's strengths
and weaknesses, and upcoming events. Communication
aligns with forms of communication of school-to-home and
home-to-school communications about school programs
(Epstein, J. L. (np).
Volunteering
By all means volunteering is essential to a childs
development. The old saying the more the merrier.
This is what Epsteins Involvement tends to convey with
recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve
families as volunteers in and out of school functions.
When a parent is involved in a child learning it lets the
child know that someone cares about their well-being.
Volunteering aligns with recruitment and the organization
of parents help and support in child development
(Epstein, J. L. (np).
Learning at Home
For children, learning starts at home and parents being
the first influencers. Epsteins Involvement aims at
encouraging a childs parents to become a part of their
childs learning experiences; whether it be homework
or being involved in academic decisions. Learning at
home aligns with reinforcing what was learned at
school. It provides information to families about how
to help students at home with homework and other
curriculum-related activities, decisions, and planning
(Epstein, J. L. (np).
Decision Making
Epsteins Involvement, involves families
participating in school decisions.
Participation could be in ways of advocacy of
PTA/PTO, Student councils, committees, and
other parents organization. Decision making
aligns with making parents a part of decision
making, making parent take leadership, and
making them representatives (Epstein, J. L.
(np).
Collaboration with
Community
And Epsteins Collaboration with the community are
in the ways through resources and services of families,
students, and school with business agencies and other
groups that provide services to the community. The
libraries are one resource used frequently on a daily
bases. Collaboration with Community aligns with
identifying and integration of resources and services
from the community to strengthen school programs,
family practices, and student learning and
development (Epstein, J. L. (np).
References
Berk, L. E. (2013).Child development. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Epstein, J. L. (np). Epsteins Framework of Six Types of Involvement.
http://www.wisconsinrticenter.org/assets/files/Family%20Engagement%20Module/Handouts/Handout
%20G1_Esptein%206%20Types.pdf
Griffin, D., & Steen, S. (2010). School-Family-Community Partnerships: Applying Epstein's Theory of the
Six Types of Involvement to School Counselor Practice. Professional School Counseling, 13(4), 218-
226.
Landry, S. H., Zucker, T. A., Taylor, H. B., Swank, P. R., Williams, J. M., Assel, M., & ... Klein, A.
(2014). Enhancing early child care quality and learning for toddlers at risk: The responsive early
childhood program. Developmental Psychology, 50(2), 526-541. doi:10.1037/a0033494